ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is characterized by a remarkably variable clinical course. While younger individuals contracting SARS-CoV-2 show only mild symptoms or remain completely asymptomatic in the vast majority of cases, elderly patients ofen develop severe and fatal COVID-19. An excessive release of infammatory cytokines (i.e. cytokine storm) has been observed in severe COVID-19 and is considered to be responsible for much of the excess lethality. However, the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 has remained enigmatic. Several patient-intrinsic factors, e.g. preexisting comorbidities, obesity, and sex have recently been identifed to correlate with a severe disease course. Furthermore, genetic risk factors-both inherited and acquired-have been suggested to impact severity of COVID-19 disease course and are currently under intensive investigation. I will provide a summary and update on the rapidly evolving field of genetic risk factors for severe COVID-19. A better understanding of the etiology and patho-genesis of severe COVID-19 bears the potential to improve risk strati-fcation, to identify patients most likely to beneft from aggressive early intervention, and to devise novel preventive or therapeutic approaches.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is characterized by a remarkably variable clinical course. While younger individuals contracting SARS-CoV-2 show only mild symptoms or remain completely asymptomatic in the vast majority of cases, elderly patients ofen develop severe and fatal COVID-19. An excessive release of infammatory cytokines (i.e. cytokine storm) has been observed in severe COVID-19 and is considered to be responsible for much of the excess lethality. However, the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 has remained enigmatic. Several patient-intrinsic factors, e.g. preexisting comorbidities, obesity, and sex have recently been identifed to correlate with a severe disease course. Furthermore, genetic risk factors-both inherited and acquired-have been suggested to impact severity of COVID-19 disease course and are currently under intensive investigation. I will provide a summary and update on the rapidly evolving field of genetic risk factors for severe COVID-19. A better understanding of the etiology and patho-genesis of severe COVID-19 bears the potential to improve risk strati-fcation, to identify patients most likely to beneft from aggressive early intervention, and to devise novel preventive or therapeutic approaches.